Valérie Peulon-Agasse

Convex hull: a new method to determine the separation space used and to optimize operating conditions for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

It is important to develop methods of optimizing the selection of column sets and operating conditions for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography. A new method for the calculation of the percentage of separation space used was developed using Delaunays triangulation algorithms (convex hull). This approach was compared with an existing method and showed better precision and accuracy. It was successfully applied to the selection of the most convenient column set and the geometrical parameters of second column for the analysis of 49 target compounds in wastewater.

(l)- or (d)-Valine tert-butylamide grafted on permethylated β-cyclodextrin derivatives as new mixed binary chiral selectors: Versatile tools for capillary gas chromatographic enantioseparation

This work deals with the synthesis of two mixed binary chiral selectors prepared by grafting (L)- or (D)-valine tert-butylamide on permethylated cyclodextrin macrocycle. The enantioselective properties of the new chiral selectors diluted in OV11 polysiloxane (35% phenyl- and 65% methylsiloxane) were investigated by means of injections of 117 racemic mixtures. The mixed chiral selectors with (L)-valine and, to a lesser extent with (D)-valine, were found to have an improved enantioselectivity toward amino acid derivatives by comparison to permethylated cyclodextrin. The enantioseparation capability of these new chiral selectors has proven to be slightly less efficient than Chirasil-L-Val (Alltech) for amino acid derivatives, but it has been extended to include terpenes, lactones, esters, aliphatic compounds and aryl alcohols.

The incorporation of calix[6]arene and cyclodextrin derivatives into sol-gels for the preparation of stationary phases for gas chromatography

New polyethylene-glycol-based sol-gels containing cyclodextrin or calix[6]arene derivatives have been synthesized. An original method for sol-gel preparation and capillary column coating, which consumes smaller quantities of selectors and allows for control of their amounts in the stationary phase, is reported herein. The new stationary phases exhibited excellent column efficiencies over a large range of temperatures and thermal stability up to 280°C. The cyclodextrin derivative generally showed the best separation factors for aromatic positional isomers. The calix[6]arene derivative exhibited the best selectivity for the polychlorobiphenyl congeners and some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon isomers. The relationship between the structure and the chromatographic properties of the selectors is discussed. The tert-butyl groups on the upper rim of the calix[6]arene were found to possibly play an important role in the recognition of solutes. The incorporation of the cyclodextrin derivative into the sol-gel matrix did not affect its enantioselective recognition capabilities.

Comparison of cryogenic and differential flow (forward and reverse fill/flush) modulators and applications to the analysis of heavy petroleum cuts by high-temperature comprehensive gas chromatography.

The development of new efficient conversion processes to transform heavy petroleum fractions into valuable products, such as diesel, requires improved chemical knowledge of the latter. High-temperature comprehensive gas chromatography (HT-GC × GC) has proven to be a powerful technique for characterizing such complex samples. This paper reports on an evaluation of the performances of four different differential flow modulators, including two original ones that have not been previously described in the literature, in terms of dispersion, peak intensity, peak capacity and overloading. These modulators, all of which are based on Agilent capillary flow technology (CFT), are forward fill/flush (FFF) differential flow modulators with an integrated collection channel or an adjustable channel (new) and reverse fill/flush (RFF) differential flow modulators with an integrated collection channel (new) or an adjustable channel. First, the optimization of the collection channel dimensions is described. Second, an RFF and an FFF differential flow modulator possessing the same collection channel were compared. The reverse differential flow modulation significantly reduced band broadening compared to forward differential flow modulation, and the peak intensity doubled for every modulated peak when an RFF differential flow modulator was used. Then, an RFF differential flow modulator and CO2 dual-jet modulator were compared. Whereas the percentages of separation space used were similar (61% with the HT-GC × GC method using a cryogenic modulator and 59% with the method using an RFF differential flow modulator), the peak capacities were at least three times more important with differential flow modulation due to the greater length of the column used in the second dimension. The results demonstrate that the RFF differential flow modulator is an excellent tool for studying heavy petroleum cuts. It demonstrates the best performances and it is the most versatile modulator. In its two-plate version, it gives more flexibility regarding the set of columns, the flow rates and the modulation periods that can be used compared with the others.

Selective access and full characterization of mono-acidic permethylated β-cyclodextrin derivatives and their methyl esters

Abstract Three acidic derivatives of permethylated β-cyclodextrin, 2 I - O -carboxymethyl-2 II-VII ,3 I-VII ,6 I-VII -eicosa- O -methyl-cyclomaltoheptaose, 6 I - O -carboxymethyl-2 I-VII ,3 I-VII ,6 II-VII -eicosa- O -methyl-cyclomaltoheptaose, 6 I -desoxy-6 I -carboxy-2 I-VII ,3 I-VII ,6 II-VII -eicosa- O- methyl-cyclomaltoheptaose and the corresponding methyl esters have been synthesized with good yields starting from mono-hydroxy permethylated β-CD prepared via tert -butyldimethylsilyl protection in 6-position and p -methoxybenzyl protection at the 2-position. All of these compounds were fully characterized by high field 1 H and 13 C NMR and HPLC/MS.

New anthracenyl polar embedded stationary phases with enhanced aromatic selectivity, a combined experimental and theoretical study: Part 1-experimental study

New polar embedded aromatic stationary phases of different functionalities (mono- and trifunctional) and on different silica supports (Fully Porous Particle (FPP) and Superficially Porous Particle (SPP)) were synthesized to determine the impact of the functionality on the retention process and the selectivity towards aromatic compounds. A full experimental characterization was performed using a combination of techniques (elemental analysis, thermogravimetric measurements, infrared spectroscopy and solid-state NMR) to differentiate unambiguously the mono- and trifunctional Stationary Phases (SP). Commercially available columns with either an aromatic group or a polar embedded group were compared to the new stationary phases. The latter presented enhanced affinity for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) structures compared to alkylbenzenes, especially when using methanol instead of acetonitrile as the organic modifier.

Thermal pretreatments of superficially porous silica particles for high-performance liquid chromatography: Surface control, structural characterization and chromatographic evaluation.

This study reports the impact of thermal pretreatment between 400 and 1100°C on superficially porous silica particles (e.g. core-shell, fused-core; here abbreviated as SPP silica). The different thermally pretreated SPP silica (400°C, 900°C and 1100°C) were chemically bonded with an octadecyl chain under microwave irradiation. The bare SPP silica, thermally untreated and pretreated, as well as the chemically bonded phases (CBPs) were fully characterized by elemental analysis, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFT), and solid state cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP-MAS) (29)Si NMR. The chromatographic properties of the overall set of C18-thermally pretreated SPP silica stationary phases were determined using the Tanaka test. Complementary, the simplified Veuthey test was used to deeply study the silanol activity, considering a set of 7 basic solutes with various physicochemical properties. Both tests were also performed on different commercial SPP silica columns and different types of bonding chemistry (C18, Phenyl-hexyl, RP-amide, C30, aQ). Multivariate data analyses (hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis) were carried out to define groups of stationary phases with similar chromatographic properties and situate them in relation to those commercially available. These different C18-thermally pretreated SPP silicas represented a wide range of stationary phases as they were spread out along the score plot. Moreover, this study highlighted that the thermal pretreatment improved the chemical stability of the SPP silica compare to untreated SPP silica and untreated porous silica. Consequently, higher thermal pretreatment can be applied (up to 900°C) before functionalization without destruction of the silica matrix. Indeed, a significantly lower dissolution of the thermally pretreated SPP silica under aggressive conditions could allow the use of the corresponding functionalized stationary phases at high temperature (60°C) with good lifetime of the columns.

Calixarene-based Stationary Phases for Chromatography

Due to their easy functionalization and their unique conformational and recognition properties, calixarenes are attracting molecular platforms for the elaboration of separation systems. Thus, in the last decades, these macrocyclic compounds have been subject to extensive research in analytical chemistry. This review is focused on the use of calixarenes as selectors in the chromatographic separation field. The structures of calixarene derivatives and their applications as stationary phases for gas chromatography as well as high-performance liquid chromatography are described.

Anthracenyl polar embedded stationary phases with enhanced aromatic selectivity. Part II: A density functional theory study

New polar embedded aromatic stationary phases (mono- and trifunctional versions) that contain an amide-embedded group coupled with a tricyclic aromatic moiety were developed for chromatographic applications and described in the first paper of this series. These phases offered better separation performance for PAHs than for alkylbenzene homologues, and an enhanced ability to differentiate aromatic planarity to aromatic tridimensional conformation, especially for the trifunctional version and when using methanol instead of acetonitrile. In this second paper, a density functional theory study of the retention process is reported. In particular, it was shown that the selection of the suitable computational protocol allowed for describing rigorously the interactions that could take place, the solvent effects, and the structural changes for the monofunctional and the trifunctional versions. For the first time, the experimental data coupled with these DFT results provided a better understanding of the interaction mechanisms and highlighted the importance of the multimodal character of the designed stationary phases: alkyl spacers for interactions with hydrophobic solutes, amide embedded groups for dipole-dipole and hydrogen-bond interactions, and aromatic terminal groups for π-π interactions.

Evaluation of thermally pretreated silica stationary phases under hydrophilic interaction chromatography conditions.

Three novel hydrophilic interaction chromatography columns packed with bare silica 2.6 μm superficially porous particles were evaluated. These stationary phases undergo a different pretreatment temperature (400, 525, and 900°C) that might influence their kinetic performance and thermodynamic properties. In the first instance, we demonstrated that the performance of these columns was inferior to the commercial ones in the low plate count range (10 000 plates), but was more favorable for N values beyond 40 000 plates. Thanks to its high permeability and reasonable flow resistance (φ = 695), together with a minimum reduced heights equivalent to a theoretical plate value of only 2.4, the stationary phase pretreated at 400°C was particularly attractive for N > 70 000 plates with a remarkably low impedance value (E = 2488). In a second step, the impact of pretreatment temperature was evaluated using two mixtures of polar substances, namely nucleobases and derivatives, as well as nicotine and derivatives. Retentions and selectivities achieved on the tested stationary phases were appropriate, but selectivity differences were minor when modifying pretreatment temperature from 400 to 525°C. When we increased the pretreatment temperature up to 900°C, the surface chemistry was more seriously modified. Finally, the columns presented a good stability even at high temperature (70°C), especially for the phases pretreated at 400 and 525°C.